A Guiding Life

So this trip had been in the planning since we climbed Snowdon and then Scafell last Autumn.

I know lots of people do it all in one go climbing and driving through the night but that seemed like hell and a road to injury so we have done it weekend at a time.

But I was worried about the whole thing, the journey, whether I was fit enough, just everything really.

My forever patient walking pal drove me up, If he hadn't I was planning to drive over 2 days as the alternative of carry bags and boots through so many train changes made my back hurt just thinking about it.

Whilst it is 6 years since my back op I've never totally healed and my back 'going' again is fairly regular and the thought that I could end up back a square one a permanent fear.

We stopped for a short time a few times along the way but in Scotland for the first time in Loch Lomond. The Loch Sloy hydro electric scheme looked really interesting with more time I'd have liked to have walked up it.

But it was a chance for a loo break and a first taste of Scotland.

We drove past the infamous Green Welly Stop.

And the hills turned into mountains

And started to be as far as the eye could see.

The main road really wasn't very main. Winter here must be very difficult!

The sheer scale took me a while to get my head around and for my brain to adjust (see the people in the foreground)

We finally arrived at our accommodation, which was a bunk house rather than Youth Hostel.

Mixed sex open bays of beds.

Mixed sex open wash facilities.

A couple of loos

and showers

and a decent kitchen for cooking your own meals in if you wanted.

I was glad I had experienced the scout facilities at a couple of camp sites at cosmic and the snowy spring camp because it was cleaner than either of those but all the same a little 'basic'!